ISLAMABAD: Dubai-based Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani has described her mountaineering journey ‘a dream come true.’
Two years ago, she was an ordinary woman, a banker, almost nobody, but today her name is recognised all over the world as the first Pakistani woman to have climbed six out of 14 above 8,000-metre peaks in the world.
Last month, she scaled Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak (8,848 metres) in Nepal and became the second Pakistani woman mountaineer after Samina Baig to climb the top mountain of the world.
However, scaling the 8,000 plus metre peaks — three in Nepal and three in Pakistan — is her honour. In Pakistan, she has summited K2, Gasherbrum I (G-I), and Gasherbrum II (G-II) while in Nepal she has scaled Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse and Mount Annapurna all above 8,000 metres peaks.
Attending a reception at Ambassador of Nepal Tapas Adhikari’s residence to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Mount Everest (1953), Naila Kiani said she was grateful to the Nepalese authorities for their hospitality and for providing the much-needed support during her Mount Everest expedition. Indeed, the Nepalese sherpas, people from the mountaineering sector and general public are well aware and better-equipped and my team has found them truly professional, she said.
Sajid Ali Sadpara and Sirbaz Khan, Pakistan’s two renowned mountaineers who also scaled Mount Everest in May this year were present.
They agreed with her and praised the Nepalese sherpas and the authorities for extending all out support and hospitality. Their readiness to face any emergency situation is amazing and they have the advanced infrastructure to meet all your needs, said Sajid Ali Sadpara. Nepali sherpas Mingam G, and Dawa G also attended the reception.
‘Mission Nanga Parbat, Broad Peak’
Naila said that she was planning to go for Nanga Parbat and Broad Peak. “I am leaving for Nanga Parbat on Wednesday while in July, I shall do Broad Peak,” said she. If she makes it, the number of her above 8,000 metres high peaks will jump to eight.
What lends Naila Kian’s story a fairy tale-like element is that she turned to mountaineering only by chance. It was in 2018 when she tried and succeeded in her first major trek at the K2 base camp. Then she took a fancy to the mountains and her marriage also took place in the K2 base camp. Today, the world knows her as ‘K2 Bride.’
Then in 2021, wondering if she could do 8,000-metre high peaks, she undertook her first major expedition. This was the time when she was on maternity leave. “I thought let me see how long and high I can go and then I started. Surprisingly, I did not feel tired until I reached the top of the G-II which is 8,035 metres high,” she said.
Job sacrificed at the altar of passion
Her passion for exploring peaks around the world has cost her job. I am at a point of a ‘career breakup,’ she said. However, she did not show any regret and simply said she had to choose between the two and she decided in favour of her passion.
She attributed her success to the generous support and sponsorship of Bilquis and Abdul Razak Dawood (BARD) Foundation. Without their support it would remain a dream for me, she said.
Untapped potential in Pakistan’s tourism
While showering praise on Naila Kiani, Sirbaz Khan, Sajid Ali Sadpara and his Nepalese mountaineers, Ambassador Tapas said Pakistan’s northern areas are full of huge tourism opportunities.
There are many unnamed peaks in Pakistan full of promise and adventure for the Pakistani and the global mountaineers and adventurers.
It is time we should tell the world about them and put in place proper infrastructure to facilitate them, said the Nepalese envoy.
He showered praise on the Pakistani mountaineers saying Naila has proven that Pakistani women are strong, determined and can do anything a man can do.
Likewise, Sajid Ali Sadpara, son of Pakistan’s iconic Ali Sadpara who lost his life during K2 expedition in February 2021, also made history by scaling Mount Everest last month and that too without the supply of Oxygen. Similarly, the ambassador speaking high of Sirbaz Khan, said this son of Gilgit Baltistan became the first Pakistani to have climbed 10 of the world’s 14 summits taller than 8,000 meters.
